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Vinaya (2): The Mahavagga

by T. W. Rhys Davids | 1881 | 156,382 words

The Mahavagga (part of the Vinaya collection) includes accounts of Gautama Buddha’s and the ten principal disciples� awakenings, as well as rules for ordination, rules for reciting the Patimokkha during uposatha days, and various monastic procedures....

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Mahavagga, Khandaka 1, Chapter 28

1. At that time a certain µþ°ùÄå³ó³¾²¹á¹‡a came to the Bhikkhus and asked them for the ±è²¹²ú²ú²¹ÂáÂáÄå ordination. The Bhikkhus were not willing to ordain him. As he did not obtain the ±è²¹²ú²ú²¹ÂáÂáÄå ordination from the Bhikkhus, he became emaciated, lean, discoloured, more and more livid, and the veins became visible all over his body.

And the Blessed One saw this µþ°ùÄå³ó³¾²¹á¹‡a, who had become emaciated, &c. When he had seen him, he said to the Bhikkhus: 'How is it, O Bhikkhus, that this µþ°ùÄå³ó³¾²¹á¹‡a has become emaciated, &c.'

“This µþ°ùÄå³ó³¾²¹á¹‡a, Lord, came to the Bhikkhus and asked them for the ±è²¹²ú²ú²¹ÂáÂáÄå ordination (&c., as above, down to:), and the veins became visible all over his body.â€�

2. Then the Blessed One said to the Bhikkhus: 'Now, O Bhikkhus, who remembers anything about this µþ°ùÄå³ó³¾²¹á¹‡a?'

When he had spoken thus, the venerabIe ³§Äå°ù¾±±è³Ü³Ù³Ù²¹ said to the Blessed One: 'I remember something, Lord, about this µþ°ùÄå³ó³¾²¹á¹‡a.'

“And what is it you remember, ³§Äå°ù¾±±è³Ü³Ù³Ù²¹, about this µþ°ùÄå³ó³¾²¹á¹‡a?â€�

“This µþ°ùÄå³ó³¾²¹á¹‡a, Lord, one day, when I went through ¸éÄåÂá²¹²µ²¹³ó²¹ for alms, ordered a spoonfuI of food to be given to me; this is what I remember, Lord, about this µþ°ùÄå³ó³¾²¹á¹‡a.â€�

3. 'Good, good, ³§Äå°ù¾±±è³Ü³Ù³Ù²¹; pious men, ³§Äå°ù¾±±è³Ü³Ù³Ù²¹, are gratefuI and remember what has been done to them. Therefore, ³§Äå°ù¾±±è³Ü³Ù³Ù²¹, confer you the ±è²¹²ú²ú²¹ÂáÂáÄå and ³Ü±è²¹²õ²¹³¾±è²¹»åÄå ordinations on that µþ°ùÄå³ó³¾²¹á¹‡a.'

“Lord, how shall I confer the ±è²¹²ú²ú²¹ÂáÂáÄå and ³Ü±è²¹²õ²¹³¾±è²¹»åÄå ordinations on this µþ°ùÄå³ó³¾²¹á¹‡a?â€�

Then the Blessed One on this occasion, after having delivered a religious discourse, thus addressed the Bhikkhus: 'I abolish, O Bhikkhus, from this day the ³Ü±è²¹²õ²¹³¾±è²¹»åÄå ordination by the threefoId declaration of taking refuge[1], which I had prescribed. I prescribe, O Bhikkhus, that you confer the ³Ü±è²¹²õ²¹³¾±è²¹»åÄå ordination by a formal act of the Order in which the announcement (ñ²¹³Ù³Ù¾±) is followed by three questions[2].

4. 'And you ought, O Bhikkhus, to confer the ³Ü±è²¹²õ²¹³¾±è²¹»åÄå ordination in this way: Let a learned, competent Bhikkhu proclaim the following ñ²¹³Ù³Ù¾± before the ³§²¹á¹ƒg³ó²¹:

'Let the ³§²¹á¹ƒg³ó²¹, reverend Sirs, hear me. This person N. N., desires to receive the ³Ü±è²¹²õ²¹³¾±è²¹»åÄå ordination from the venerable N. N. (i.e. with the venerable N. N. as his ³Ü±è²¹ÂáÂá³óÄå²â²¹). If the ³§²¹á¹ƒg³ó²¹ is ready, let the ³§²¹á¹ƒg³ó²¹ confer on N. N. the ³Ü±è²¹²õ²¹³¾±è²¹»åÄå ordination with N. N. as ³Ü±è²¹ÂáÂá³óÄå²â²¹. This is the ñ²¹³Ù³Ù¾±.

5, 6. 'Let the ³§²¹á¹ƒg³ó²¹, reverend Sirs, hear me. This person N. N. desires to receive the ³Ü±è²¹²õ²¹³¾±è²¹»åÄå ordination from the venerable N. N. The ³§²¹á¹ƒg³ó²¹ confers on N. N. the ³Ü±è²¹²õ²¹³¾±è²¹»åÄå ordination with N. N. as ³Ü±è²¹ÂáÂá³óÄå²â²¹. Let any one of the venerable brethren who is in favour of the ³Ü±è²¹²õ²¹³¾±è²¹»åÄå ordination of N. N. with N. N. as ³Ü±è²¹ÂáÂá³óÄå²â²¹, be silent, and any one who is not in favour of it, speak.

'And for the second time I thus speak to you: Let the ³§²¹á¹ƒg³ó²¹ (&c., as before).

'And for the third time I thus speak to you: Let the ³§²¹á¹ƒg³ó²¹, &c.

“N. N. has received the ³Ü±è²¹²õ²¹³¾±è²¹»åÄå ordination from the ³§²¹á¹ƒg³ó²¹ with N. N. as ³Ü±è²¹ÂáÂá³óÄå²â²¹. The ³§²¹á¹ƒg³ó²¹ is in favour of it, therefore it is silent. Thus I understand[3].â€�

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

See chap. 12 and the note on chap. 1. 1.

[2]:

The form for bringing a formal motion before the Order is the following: The mover first announces to the assembled Bhikkhus what resolution he is going to propose; this announcement is called ñ²¹³Ù³Ù¾± (see, for instance, § 4). After the ñ²¹³Ù³Ù¾± follows the question put to the Bhikkhus present if they approve the resolution. This question is put either once or three times; in the first case we have a ñ²¹³Ù³Ù¾±dutiya kamma(see, for instance, II, chap. 6); in the second case, a ñ²¹³Ù³Ù¾±katuttha kamma (as in this chapter).

[3]:

With this and the following chapters should be compared the corresponding ordinance laid down in chapters 74-76.

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